Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016

Huber, Bernhard A., Meng, Guanliang, Král, Jiří, Ávila Herrera, Ivalú M. & Izquierdo, Matías A., 2023, Revision of the South American Ninetinae genus Guaranita (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 900 (1), pp. 32-80 : 41-46

Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016

Figs 2A – B , 3 – 7 , 32A

Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016: 9 , figs 6 – 12 (♂).

Diagnosis (amendments; see Torres et al. 2016)

Distinguished from known congeners by median process on male clypeus (cf. Torres et al. 2016: fig. 9; unmodified in congeners), by male cheliceral apophyses ( Fig. 4A – C ; short and diverging in distal view), by very small (compared with congeners) dorsal flap on procursus ( Fig. 4F ), and by roughly triangular (rather than trapezoidal as in congeners) anterior epigynal plate ( Fig. 5A ); also by relatively slender male palpal tibia ( Fig. 3C ; width/length 0.75; other species 0.85 – 1.00) and by female internal genitalia ( Figs 5C – D , 32A ; median structure poorly developed compared with congeners); from G. auadae sp. nov. and G. goloboffi also by narrow distal bulbal sclerite ( Fig. 4G ).

Material examined (new record)

ARGENTINA – Salta • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; ~ 55 km NW of Campo Quijano; 24.4716° S, 65.9272° W; 3040 m a.s.l.; 19 Mar. 2019; B.A. Huber and M.A. Izquierdo leg.; ZFMK Ar 24121 • 11 ♀♀ in pure ethanol (four prosomata used for molecular work; one female and one female abdomen used for SEM); same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK Arg187 • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; LABRE-Ar 876 • 1 ♀, in pure ethanol; same collection data as for preceding; LABRE-Ar 865 .

Redescription of male (amendments; see Torres et al. 2016)

Measurements of male from 55 km NW of Campo Quijano: total body length 1.1 (1.2 with clypeus process), carapace width 0.48; distance PME–PME 45 µm; diameter PME 40 µm; distance PME–ALE 20 µm; distance AME–AME 20 µm; diameter AME 25 µm. Leg 1: 2.33 (0.66 +0.16 + 0.62 +0.55 +0.34), tibia 2: 0.54, tibia 3: 0.48, tibia 4: 0.72; tibia 1 L/d: 9; diameters of leg femora 0.10 – 0.11, of leg tibiae: 0.065. Tibia 1 of second newly collected male: 0.58. Tip of clypeus process straight but at tip with hairs pointing upwards and backwards. Sternum slightly wider than long (0.34/0.30). Chelicerae as in Fig. 4A – C . Pedipalp as in Fig. 3A – C ; tibia with two trichobothria; procursus as in Fig. 4D – F , with large transparent ventral membrane, distinctive dorsal flap, and tip bent towards dorsal; genital bulb as in Fig. 4G – I , with simple proximal sclerite and band-like distal sclerite (same width over most of its length). Legs without spines and curved hairs; vertical hairs not seen; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 60%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other leg tibiae; tarsus 1 with 5 pseudosegments, poorly visible in dissecting microscope.

Description of female

In general similar to male ( Fig. 2A – B ) but clypeus without process, sternum without pair of anterior humps, and chelicerae without stridulatory files. Tibia 1 in seven females: 0.58 – 0.64 (mean 0.62). Epigynum ( Figs 5A , 6B ) with simple triangular anterior plate weakly bulging; posterior plate short and simple. Internal genitalia ( Figs 5C – D , 32A ) very simple, with median sclerotized structure (receptacle?), apparently with small pore plates. Each ALS with one strongly widened spigot, one long pointed spigot, and five cylindrical spigots (of which one is much wider than the others; Fig. 6C ); each PMS with two conical spigots ( Fig. 6D ); PLS without spigots. Leg tibiae and metatarsi with tiny pores with cuticular rim (pore diameter 0.6 µm; Fig. 6E – F ) and with small round cuticular ‘plates’ (diameter 4 – 5 µm; Fig. 6E ). Tarsal organs with very small openings (diameters of openings 0.8 – 0.9 µm; Fig. 7D – E ). Metatarsi 3 and 4 with one long slender hair each on retrolateral side ( Fig. 7C ).

Remarks (notes on type locality)

This species was previously known from two specimens supposedly from two localities in Salta province: the holotype locality, 9 km E of Cabra Corral dam; and a second locality, 1 km N of “Charrillos” (should be Chorrillos). Our newly collected specimens of G. dobby are from close to the second locality, in the same river valley, ~ 37 km NW of Chorrillos. However, we failed to find G. dobby at the holotype locality and at several nearby sites E of Cabra Corral dam we visited. Instead, we found G. goloboffi at two sites in that area. Previous collectors also found numerous specimens of G. goloboffi E of Cabra Corral dam ( Torres et al. 2015). This sheds doubt on the origin of the G. dobby holotype. We suspect that the holotype specimen is mislabeled but according to José Corronca (pers. com. Jan. 2022) this is unlikely to be the case.

Natural history

The newly collected specimens were found under rocks in a very arid environment ( Fig. 34A ). Egg sacs (N = 4) contained 6 – 8 eggs and were carried in a single layer under the prosoma ( Fig. 2B ); egg diameter: 0.46 – 0.48.

Distribution

Known from three localities in Argentina, Salta Province ( Fig. 33A ); but see Notes on type locality above.

Figures

Fig. 2. Guaranita Huber, 2000, live specimens. A–B. G. dobby Torres et al., 2016; females with egg-sacs from NW of Campo Quijano. C–D. G. munda (Gertsch, 1982); male and female with eggsac from E of Nono. E–F. G. yaculica Huber, 2000; male and female from Calilegua National Park. G–H. G. auadae Huber sp. nov.; male and female with egg-sac from between San Salvador and Purmamarca. I–J. G. goloboffi Huber, 2000; male and female from NW of Chumbicha.

Fig. 3. Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016; male from NW of Campo Quijano (ZFMK Ar 24121). Left pedipalp, prolateral (A), dorsal (B), and retrolateral (C) views. Abbreviations: b = genital bulb; c = coxa; f = femur; p = procursus; pa = patella; ta = tarsus; ti = tibia; tr = trochanter. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 4. Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016; male from NW of Campo Quijano (ZFMK Ar 24121). A–C. Chelicerae, frontal, lateral, and ventral views. D–F. Left procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. G–I. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Abbreviations: df = dorsal flap; ds = distal bulbal sclerite; ed = embolar division; ps = proximal bulbal sclerite; vm = ventral membrane. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 5. Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016; females from NW of Campo Quijano (ZFMK Ar 24121). A. Abdomen, ventral view. B. Cleared epigynum, ventral view. C–D. Cleared epigyna of two specimens, dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (B–D at same scale).

Fig. 6. Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016; female from NW of Campo Quijano (ZFMK Arg187). A. Prosoma, oblique frontal view. B. Abdomen, ventral view. C. ALS spigots. D. PMS spigots. E. Pore (arrow) and cuticular plate (asterisk) among regular hairs on right metatarsus 3. F. Pore on left tibia 4. Abbreviations: aep = anterior (main) epigynal plate; pep = posterior epigynal plate. Scale bars: A–B = 100 µm; C, E = 10 µm; D, F = 2 µm.

Fig. 7. Guaranita dobby Torres et al., 2016; female from NW of Campo Quijano (ZFMK Arg187). A. Trichobothrium on left metatarsus 1.B. Bases of regular hair and of trichobothrium on left metatarsus 1. C. Slender hair (arrow) among regular hairs on right metatarsus 4. D. Tarsal organ on right tarsus 3. E. Tarsal organ on right tarsus 2. F. Tip of right tarsus 1. Scale bars: A, C, F = 10 µm; B, D–E = 2 µm.

Fig. 32. Guaranita Huber, 2000, female internal genitalia; arrows point at possible pore plates. A. G. dobby Torres et al., 2016; from NW of Campo Quijano. B. G. munda (Gertsch, 1982); from E of Nono. C. G. yaculica Huber, 2000; from Calilegua National Park. D. G. auadae Huber sp. nov., from between San Salvador and Purmamarca. E. G. goloboffi Huber, 2000; from NW of Chumbicha. Scale bar = 0.1 mm (all at same scale).

Fig. 34. Typical habitats of species of Guaranita Huber, 2000 in Argentina. A. NW of Campo Quijano (Salta), G. dobby Torres et al., 2016. B. E of Nono (Córdoba), G. munda (Gertsch, 1982). C. Calilegua National Park (Jujuy), G. yaculica Huber, 2000. D. Between San Salvador and Purmamarca (Jujuy), type locality of G. auadae Huber sp. nov. E. SW of Alemanía (Salta), G. goloboffi Huber, 2000. F. W of Cafayate (Salta), G. goloboffi.

Fig. 33. Known distribution of Guaranita Huber, 2000. Inset: map of South America, showing all known records. A–B. Known distributions of individual species. Question marks denote dubious outliers (Torres et al. 2015, 2016; not restudied) that need confirmation.